


Minor Beings of the Andala Mountains

by Elsin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Art, Digital Art, Gen, In-Universe Documents, Maps, bestiary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27342757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsin/pseuds/Elsin
Summary: Eight creatures found in a remote corner of the world.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 22
Collections: Fic In A Box





	Minor Beings of the Andala Mountains

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WolfWagon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfWagon/gifts).



  
  


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[Of all the known varieties of cat-dragons, the Andalaen Cat-Dragon is by far the smallest. In spite of this, it is surprisingly adaptable; it is found throughout the southern region of the Andala Mountains, where most of the volcanoes are still active. Its range also extends into the eastern parts of the Fireforest and the southern area of the Eastern Desert. All varieties of cat-dragon are very shy of humans, and the same is true of the Andalaen type. However, when humans do encounter them, they can sometimes be enticed to approach by displays of magic, which attracts them more than anything else. Cat-dragons do not hoard jewels or precious metals, but they are sometimes known to hoard magical items when they come by them.]

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[The Antlered Fox, unlike most small creatures of the Andala region, is rumored to be surprisingly powerful; however, its ways are secretive and the being is very rare. As it is no threat to humans, it has been listed among the minor creatures of this bestiary for convenience’s sake, although scholars are far from in agreement that it is any kind of _minor._ It is found much farther to the north than most of these beings; while it will regularly travel to the northernmost Andala Mountains, all of which are long-dormant volcanoes, and will sometimes be seen in the Eastern Desert and at the coast of the Sunfall Sea, its true home is deep in the Northern Expanse. Antlered foxes are regarded as lucky by the local population, and legend has it that some of their number have the ability to take on a human form.]

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[Emberwings are found throughout the Fireforest and the southern areas of the Andala Mountains. Their name is not figurative; under their wings and tail, and at their throat, are ever-smoldering embers. Although not particularly large, the birds are highly territorial and are somewhat prone to attacking other animals and humans who venture too close. However, they are not particularly dangerous to the knowledgeable human; defending oneself takes only a single simple spell, and if one cannot do that there is always the option of retreat—an emberwing will not pursue an intruder past the boundaries of its territory.]

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[Unlike ordinary frogs, the Fire Frog must remain burning rather than wet in order to stay healthy and keep breathing. Found only in the depths of the Fireforest, their skin secretes a flammable oil such that even if removed from their fiery home, they can stay aflame for up to twenty-four hours if nothing extinguishes them. Apart from being at home in fiery heat, fire frogs are not particularly remarkable; they are, however, difficult to research as their territory is very hostile to humans. Attempting to handle them without strong personal fire wards is not encouraged.]

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[Sky Jellies are thought to be closely related to sea jellies; the exact link is unclear and probably magical. They are surprisingly resilient, being one of the few species able to live well in the Western Wastes, though their range also extends over the entirety of the Andala Mountains, across the Fireforest, and out over the Sunfall Sea. This is at least in part because they thrive in thunderstorms; the rain enhances their flight abilities and they have a strong natural affinity for lightning and all things electric. They are primarily insectivores, although they will consume almost anything that their tentacles can reach and which is small enough for them. While they hold no animosity towards humans, encountering them can give a human a highly unpleasant electric shock; it is recommended to admire them from a distance.]

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[The Star Serpents are called as such for both their coloration and their nocturnal habits. As far as anyone knows, they have only one active magical ability, but their shed skins are very valuable to alchemists and artificers for the creation of magical concoctions and constructs. They are nocturnal, and lead mostly mundane lives; however, when the stars align with their markings, they will find themselves able to slither up into the sky for that night alone. This is a significant part of the star serpent mating ritual. Star serpents are quite large and quite docile, and are found in the northernmost parts of the Andala Mountains, all the way to the coast of the Sunfall Sea, and well into the Northern Expanse.]

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[Found all through the Andala Mountains, the Stone-Hare is just as the name implies—a hare of living stone. It does not venture out to the east or west of the rocky foothills, but where the mountains are, so too will it be found. There are no natural predators for the stone-hare, as it is not itself a natural creature, and no local beings consume living stone. Stone-hares were created many thousands of years ago as an experiment in whether unliving things could be given life by the use of magic; while most today would consider the answer to that question to be yes, citing the stone-hare as an example, some scholars still contend that this is merely the facsimile of life, and the stone-hares are not truly alive. Regardless of such disputes, they must still eat to sustain themselves, consuming energy as all living things do; their diet consists of sand and gravel.]

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[The Volcano Moth is native to the southern half of the Andala Mountains, where the volcanoes are still active. It spends its entire life cycle on the lip of an active volcano, spreading to new locations only when its current home erupts. When that happens, many moths will die, some will live and remain with the erupting volcano, and others will be thrown far afield. Most of the moths flung elsewhere will not survive, but if they land on a new active volcano they can settle themselves there—any volcano will do, really, though they do not live long enough once removed from their volcanic home to have yet reached any mountain outside the Andala range. There are very small colonies of volcano moths found around the burning pools of the Fireforest; it seems that this environment mimics their mountain home closely enough for them to remain and reproduce there.] 


End file.
